Craine Painting LLC

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Should I buy new or refinish my existing cabinets?

If you want to change the style of your kitchen or bath, refinishing or replacing your cabinets is one of the most common renovations. Choosing to buy new or refinish can be tricky, and really depends on the construction of your cabinets and their current state.

If your existing cabinets are already a perfect fit for your appliances, but don’t quite fit your preferred style, we can help! This customer chose to take her cabinets white to give a crisp, clean look.

Price Considerations

We’ve found that refinishing cabinets costs about a third of the price of replacing cabinets! And when we looked into new cabinet pricing, we noticed there were a lot of hidden costs. The prices listed in store and online don’t include demo costs to remove existing doors or cabinets or installation costs. When you refinish with Craine Painting, we’ll always give you the all-in price of your project: prep, cleaning, labor, and installation.

Good candidates for refinishing

Hardwood doors and drawer faces (made of maple, cherry, oak)
Cabinets in good condition; finishes will cover, not eliminate, nicks and gouges in wood
A layout you love including wine racks, appliance garages, or unique molding

Please note: We’ve seen some beautiful cabinets made of birds eye maple, quarter sawn oak, or pricey wood species. We’ll never paint over that kind of natural beauty, but we can help you with a finish that will enhance the look of the wood.

Pay close attention to new cabinet estimates. Are finishing touches like wine racks and glass-paneled doors included in the price you’re being quoted? Craine Painting LLC always quotes your all-in price.

When refacing/replacement makes sense

There are some instances when refinishing cabinets just doesn’t make sense, and we’re always honest in those situations. We want our customers to be excited by our work, and that means setting realistic expectations. If you want a minimalist look and don’t mind having manufactured wood cabinets, replacement might make sense for your needs.

You’re looking for a whole new layout
Your current cabinets are falling apart
Your cabinets have a distinct wood grain, but you want a glass-like finish
You’re looking for different face style (shaker to arched or raised panel to flat panel)

Have more questions about our process? Check out our YouTube channel.

Bulb warmth & paint color

How do you want your home to feel? Warm and cozy? Crisp and clean? Naturally bright?

Light has the ability to transform your experience of a space. Light sources, whether natural or electric, are something to consider before choosing a color to finish your home.

The 2 paint lids pictured below are a good example of how to give a painter a heart attack, and how bulb color can affect paint color. After mixing the 2 gallons together and setting the new lid of the same color next to the old one, I had a mild panic attack, thinking I’d mixed the wrong color into the old one. I checked the labels on both lids- was there a paint tinting mistake?

After taking a few deep breaths, I realized I had set the left lid directly in the doorway of a room with a warm white light bulb casting light on it. The right lid, just outside of that doorway’s light path, is illuminated by my daylight work light. Moving both lids a foot to the left or right confirmed that they were the exact same color.

They’re two different colors, right? Nope! They are just being lit by different sources. The paint on the left is being lit by a warm white overhead light, while the right side is lit by a “daylight” colored bulb.

A Painter’s Tips to Getting the Perfect Color:

Pick a bulb color and stick with it.
- I’m not saying that I’ve been called back to a cool white kitchen that had a ”yellowing door” concern. I’m not saying that the culprit was a single Warm white bulb replaced among a sea of cool white bulbs. I’m saying, should that happen, I’m going to expect compensation in the form of cookies at a minimum.
Before you decide on a color, think about all light sources in the room
- Warm white bulbs give your home a cozy feel, but can make even crisp cool whites, like appear yellow. If your kitchen is west-facing, you may notice that the golden hour sun casts a yellow tint on surfaces. Tack up a paint sample and see how your desired color looks for at least 24 hours.
Consider specialty bulbs
- You put time and effort into curating your style during the renovation and design of your home, so continue that thoughtfulness when considering your lightbulbs. If your fixtures allow, choose a dimming bulb. Programmable smart LED bulbs allow you to customize your lighting to the feel of your home.
Consult a designer
- Designing your perfect space- lighting included– is tough, and we encourage clients to reach out to a local designer if they’re looking for color and lighting opinions. Professional interior designers have seen it all, and can help steer your project based on your desired vision. The professionals at Craine Painting are detail-oriented, but don’t have a designer’s eye for color scheme and style.

Even the time of year and reflection of water can change how your paint colors look in natural light.

Cabinet refinishing for a cost-saving renovation

When planning a kitchen remodel or renovation, you’ll want the biggest impact for your dollar. Replacing your cabinets is often the single most expensive part of giving your kitchen a refresh, but that doesn’t have to be the case! The experts at Craine Painting specialize in applying high quality and durable finishes to transform your kitchen and your existing cabinets.

Consider the following when choosing between refinished and newly installed cabinets:

Custom work
- Current cabinetry has been measured and fitted to your unique space and layout needs
- Craine Painting has a history of working with unique color schemes. Instead of relying on the stock finishes offered in new cabinetry, make your kitchen uniquely yours with an exciting color choice or finish.
Sustainability
- Your solid wood cabinets were made to last a lifetime, so get the most out of your solid oak, maple, or cherry cabinets.
- Think about durability- don’t settle for manufactured wood and veneer just to get a new look in your kitchen or bathroom.
Expertise
- Cabinet refinishing is our bread and butter. Craine Painting has worked with homeowners in the Lake Geneva area for a decade. Our team brings know-how and professionalism to each project. If you’d like to know more about our process, check out our Youtube guide to refinishing cabinets.

Ready to request a quote? Fill out our cabinet refinishing form.

Caring for your refinished cabinets

Refinished white kitchen cabinets near stove

April 12, 2025

Once our team refinishes your cabinetry, you’re excited to get back into your kitchen and make the most of your new space. Your kitchen is the heart of your home, but also where some of the biggest messes happen! We’ve all spilled, dripped, and dropped food (and more!) in our kitchens. So how do you maintain the finish on newly refinished cabinets?

To remove spills and fingerprints: Grab a clean microfiber cloth, and get half of it slightly damp with warm water. Use the damp side of the cloth to lightly wash the affected areas, and the dry side to remove the excess moisture when you’ve finished cleaning the area.

To manage grease splatters: Add a drop of original Dawn dish soap to a damp microfiber cloth. Gently wipe the surface, being sure not to scrub harshly. Use water to rinse off any soap and grease, and wipe dry. Some surface grease might take multiple passes.
- Do not use degreasing solutions or spray dish soap with added “cleaning boosters.” If the bottle says to not use it on painted surfaces, it’s not gentle enough for your cabinets.

For small dents/knicks: A soft bristle artist brush or foam brush can be used for touch up. Before applying, make sure the product is stirred very well, 2-3min from the bottom of the can) with a stir stick. Apply your product in thin layers, allowing it to dry between applications. Be sure to completely seal the paint/product can before putting it away, and discard after the date on the top of the can.
- To get a feel for how the product lays out on a vertical surface, using your artist brush, dab a bit on the end of the stir stick that you’ve used to stir your product, it should dry fairly quickly.

Craine painting only uses the most durable coatings for your cabinets, backed by years of expertise in finishing, but all finishes can be compromised by chemical interaction and scrubbing, so be gentle!

Craine Painting LLC Project Published In Flea Market Decor Magazine

@apothecary_design is a Home decor wizard 🧙‍♂️with an amazing Etsy shop (check it out!).

That being said, Trish is an awesome person as well. She had us Refinish her cabinetry early this year, and gave us a shoutout in her 14 page spread in @fleamarketdecor magazine that just came out! Thank you Trish, That was extremely awesome of you! #wisconsin #decor #kitchen #interior #kitchenremodel #generalfinishes #smallbusiness #kitchensofinstagram #homedecor #homedecoration #kitcheninspo #interiordesign #cabinetrefinishing